If you were asked to describe the top five tourist attractions in Ghana, you would probably mention our historical buildings (castles and forts), wildlife (crocodiles, monkeys, elephants), forests (Kakum), water bodies (Boti falls, Lake Bosomtwe, Volta river) and beaches.

Now, would you believe it if you were told of a place in Ghana – a village – where you will find at least one example of each of these attractions?

There is. It’s called Princess Town, and it is tourism’s best-kept secret.

Nestled on the Western Coast of Ghana, just about 45 minutes from Takoradi, Princess Town, known initially as Pokesu), is a small, picturesque village with a significant, dramatic history.

In addition to two lagoons, vibrant wildlife, and what the Ghana Museum and Monuments Board describes as “the bluest sea in Ghana”, the village also is the site of Ghana’s only German-built fort.

On the 1st of January, 1681, two ships carrying German explorers seeking to establish their presence in the colonies landed on the shores of Pokesu.

They were there on the orders of Prince Frederick William, the Elector of Brandenburg.

The Germans built a fort on the beach and named the nearby village Prince’s Town. Over the years, the pronunciation took a feminine slant and became Princess Town.

Kojo Yankson, the host of Joy Prime Explore, has been uncovering the Fredericksburg fort’s secrets, learning the Lagoon god’s traditions, and taking lessons from the Akatakyi crocodiles on how to order a chicken dinner.

All this and more are to be seen in the next episode of Explore, at 6 pm this coming Sunday evening, on Joy Prime, but just in case your curiosity is getting the better of you, here is a sneak peek.